2020 Anne Arundel County Season Preview

Arundel Wildcats: Fifth year head coach Frank Hood returns five starters from last year’s lineup and six quality arms on the mound. Seniors Champ Wert (Methodist University, Third Team All County), Andrew Barrett, Mathew Barrett, Cameron Cook, and talented sophomores Christopher Beatty Jr. and Cobin Warner will be hard to beat at their best and look to anchor the staff again this season. At the plate, Second Team All County selections Sam Merchant (PSU-Harrisburg) and Anthony D’Urso will lead the way with Wert, Warner, and Chris Koennel expected to also make major impacts.

Broadneck Bruins: The Bruins return six players from their everyday lineup a season ago but will need some younger guys to step up on the mound in 2020 as they look to fill the void left behind by Anne Arundel County Player of the Year RHP Nick Gatton (Chesapeake College). Gatton went 6-0 a season ago with a 1.33 ERA. Seniors Matt Isaac (PSU-Harrisburg, First Team All County), Jackson Halla (Chesapeake College), Ethan Soto (Nichols College), Ben Schultz (CCBC Catonsville), junior Nick Toskov, and sophomore Josh Ehrlich will look to lead the way offensively for the Bruins this season. Isaac led the team in 2019 hitting .500 with 9 doubles, 2 home runs, and 25 RBI’s. Fourth year head coach Matt Skrenchuk will lean on junior Andrew Kille and sophomores Nolan Banwell, and Chase Stone to keep the Bruins in games allowing their potentially explosive lineup to carry them throughout the season.

Severna Park Falcons: This year's squad is deep and will be one of the favorites not only within Anne Arundel County but also in the state 4A classification with some very talented key pieces returning both on the mound and at the plate. Senior RHP and Louisiana Tech commit Evan Lewis (First Team All County) returns as the team's ace and will be joined by fellow seniors Brendan Simonds (Belmont Abbey, Second Team All County), and Wesley Adams. Junior RHP Daniel Parkinson and budding sophomore two-way star Colton Adams also figure to make an impact on the staff in 2020 as well. Offensively, the Falcons will be led by Army commit Jackson Merrill (First Team All County), Corey Bodnar, and Simonds. Head coach Eric Milton will need to find some younger guys to step up with Camden Handwerger (First Team All County), Josh Horgan (First Team All County), Jordan Hallet (Third Team All County), and Mark Sasse's production gone. Sophomore Andrew Bashor and Lewis will get opportunities to make a difference at the plate with top newcomers Robert Weaver, Adams, Ben Litkowski, and Tucker McDonough figuring to also play key roles as the season progresses.

South River Seahawks: The Seahawks defeated Broadneck last year for the Anne Arundel County Championship and will look to defend that title with several key returners. This year’s team will be a little younger and will really miss the production that First Team All County selection Kavi Caster (Salisbury), Third Team All County catcher Keaton Goetzger (Radford), and Derrick Neff provided in last year’s lineup. Look for Second Team All County selection Chris Nalley to nail down the shortstop position and play a key role offensively while junior Second Team All County lefty Cael Huyer anchors the staff with both Caster and Gavin Umphries gone. Seniors Brian Ferranti, Chris Sheridan, Kevin Sieber and sophomores Aidan Cassilly and Parker Black also figure to be impact players in this year’s lineup. 

Glen Burnie Gophers: Glen Burnie has the potential to be a real sleeper this season with four key returners back. First Team All County senior Logan Leasure headlines a lineup that returns fellow senior Justin Ries and sophomore Caleb Hartwell (Third Team All County). Leasure hit .415 and slugged .641 for the Gophers in 2019 scoring 13 runs along the way. Talented junior right-handed pitcher Wyatt Griffith also gives the team a true ace on the bump in 2020.

Annapolis Panthers: Annapolis looks to be more competitive in 2020 returning seniors Rico Alvarez and Cameron Tyson. Alvarez took home Second Team All County honors in the outfield hitting .425, while Tyson was selected to the Third Team as a catcher hitting .383 a season ago. 

Meade Mustangs: Meade will be interesting to follow this season with three key starters back and the addition of senior outfielder Justin Reese from Gilman. Juniors Patrick Rankin, and Andrew Owens return with Reese; a potential monster middle of the order run producer, sliding into a revamped lineup. The Mustangs will miss Noah June’s athleticism in the outfield and ability to get on base as well as Third Team All County pitcher Marcus Richardson.

Northeast-AA Eagles: Northeast-AA returns Owen Shriver as the team's ace this season but will need several others to step up if they hope to be competitive in a very tough Anne Arundel County league. Shriver garnered Third Team All County honors on the bump in 2019 going 3-2 with a 4.04 ERA striking out 27 batters in 34.2 innings pitched.